


Sing My Song (For You)

by TheseLittleWonders



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas at Hogwarts, Gen, HP Wireless Festive Minifest 2020, Harry Potter Epilogue Compliant, Harry Potter Next Generation, POV Rose Weasley, Ravenclaw Rose Weasley, Rose Granger-Weasley & Scorpius Malfoy Friendship, Scorpius Malfoy & Albus Severus Potter Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27827461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheseLittleWonders/pseuds/TheseLittleWonders
Summary: The Winter Showcase at the end of fall term is a premiere event, celebrating both student talent and the holiday season at Hogwarts. Rose Weasley is determined to make her mark and shine as a vocalist this year, if only to overcome this annoying stage fright. But when her partner gets injured, she has to scramble to find someone who can accompany her. Someone who plays piano, sings, doesn't mind performing last-minute in front of the whole school, and, more importantly,is available. It's a lot to ask for, but if she can't find a proper replacement in time, she may have to drop out of the program altogether...Will her efforts ring true or will she fall flat this Christmas?
Relationships: Scorpius Malfoy/Rose Weasley
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17
Collections: Wireless Festive Minifest 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place in the NextGen trio's fifth year. It is post-epilogue/epilogue-compliant, but I am NOT following Cursed Child canon. My interpretations of these characters, especially Rose, are quite different from general fandom headcanons. I do hope you enjoy them.
> 
> A 100 THANK-YOUs to [Anophelia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YuriPan/pseuds/Anophelia%20Miratio) for beta-reading this!! You are absolutely wonderful. Thank you for being flexible, _available_ , accommodating, and so, _so_ invested in this story. Your hype and positive reinforcement have meant so much throughout the writing and revising process. This fic would never have been finished without you. I'm so glad to have met you, and I hope we continue to connect across the expanse of timezones and international flights. ;)
> 
> Thank you to the mods for running this mini-fest, answering all my rookie questions, and keeping the collection open for this straggler! :D
> 
> Happy holidays!!
> 
> *Title song and other songs referenced, along with links, are in End Notes.*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Songs referenced, along with links, are in End Notes.*

**_December 2021, Hogwarts_ **

The soft melody hung momentarily in the still air of the practice room before silence suppressed it.

“Cool,” declared Finn Kavanagh. “Think we can stop there for today?”

Rose Weasley was actually thinking _no, not yet, one more time_ , but before she could answer, her partner stood from the piano and began to gather his things. She settled instead for saying, “Alright. When shall we meet next week? We have the final choir rehearsal this Sunday afternoon and then the concert for the Showcase next Friday.”

“Aw, does it have to be next week?” Finn whinged. “Roddy’s scheduled more practices all next week ‘fore the game. Can’t it wait ‘till after?”

Rose would really prefer not to have to wait nearly a week-and-a-half before rehearsing for their Showcase performance, but she knew better than to argue with Quidditch-obsessed boys. Finn played Keeper for the Hufflepuff team. She’d asked him to partner with her because he was a member of the Frog Choir and could play piano for the duet she’d wanted to sing for this year’s Winter Showcase.

But Rose hadn’t counted on the end of term being so filled with back-to-back engagements. She should have. The two of them weren’t quite ready to perform just yet, and it would only make her more anxious to have to wait until the weekend before the performance to finalize the piece. She had several assignments due as well that final week before the holidays began. With O.W.L.s in less than six months, Rose needed all the time she could gain to study, and she briefly regretted adding one more task to her never-ending to-do list.

But no. She _must_ sing for the Showcase this year. It was immortalized on the List of Goals she’d pinned to her bedpost. She’d told everyone she knew that she’d be performing. She couldn’t back out now.

Rose’s mind travelled these well-trodden paths as the two fifth-years made their way down to the Great Hall for dinner. She was ambushed by two ginger girls as she broke away from Finn to head to the Ravenclaw table.

“Hiya, Rosie!”

“Oooh, we saw you come in with Finn Kavanagh! Do you like him??”

Rose rolled her eyes even as the insinuation made her blush. “Hi, Lily. Hi, Lucy,” she greeted mildly. “No, I do _not_ have a crush on him. We’re in the same year and part of the choir. He’s my partner for the Showcase.”

“Oh, that’s right! You’re signed up for the Winter Showcase this year! Are you excited?”

“When do you perform? You’re so brave, Rosie. I’d be so scared to sing in front of the _whole_ school…”

Rose sighed exasperatedly as she took a seat. This sort of tag-teaming was par for the course with these two. Lily Potter and Lucy Weasley were always together outside of classes. Lily, a third-year, was a member of the yearbook committee. It was her job to help with recording and photographing both the Summer and Winter Showcases. She’d been chatting about the sub-committee and all of her exciting ideas all summer long. Lucy, a fourth-year, wrote for the school newspaper. She was generally much quieter about her extracurricular activities. They were both Gryffindors and relentless in their pursuit of documenting campus events.

“In two weeks, just about,” Rose answered. “And, technically, I have sung in front of the whole school before in choir performances.”

“Well, that’s not quite the same, is it?” Lucy countered. “Now, it’ll just be your voice _by_ _itself_ with everyone watching…”

Yes, well, Rose was trying not to think about that. The girls’ enthusiasm was usually amusing, but Rose found their interest only added to her anxiety. She mumbled, “It’s a duet,” and reached for the roast potatoes. Lucy and Lily prattled on between themselves and eventually left for the Gryffindor table, leaving Rose to enjoy her dinner in relative peace and quiet.

This was one of many reasons Rose loved being a Ravenclaw. Mealtimes were much more subdued. It was quite common and not at all strange for Ravenclaw students to multitask between eating and studying. The only time meals became especially lively was when there was a hot debate on academic topics. Others might think it unbearably nerdy, but Rose quite enjoyed listening to and learning from the older students; she even occasionally participated.

About thirty minutes later, Headmistress McGonagall called for silence, and Professor Babbling stood to introduce tonight’s act.

There were two Showcases every year at Hogwarts. The Winter Showcase occurred during the final two or three weeks of term in December and featured holiday- and seasonal-inspired performances. The Summer Showcase in June was a catch-all event primarily meant for displaying student learning and classroom accomplishment—parents often attended, ushering their children home for the holidays afterward. Both Showcases were avenues for displaying student talent and ingenuity; acts ranged from musical shows to comedic skits to art projects. One December, there had even been an ice-dance and figure-skating competition on the Great Lake. Rose looked forward to the Showcases every year. She could still remember her delight and awe at seeing older students perform wintery charms in her first year at Hogwarts.

Any further chattering quietened, and after Professor Babbling’s introduction, five boys, all of Asian heritage, stood from all four house tables. Rose recognized a couple of them from the Frog Choir. They were dressed handsomely in dark grey Muggle suits with wizarding cloaks winged on top. One of the boys crossed the front of the Hall and took a seat at the piano set off-centre from the Headmistress’ podium. He began to play a strident, almost forlorn melody. The boy at the rightmost end of the Hall began to sing softly in Korean, and a translation appeared in yellow lettering above the Heads table. The boys continued, each taking turns, until they combined in harmony for the chorus. Rose was as swept away by the chorus as the music conveyed.

The ballad was nostalgic and melancholic at the same time; it spoke of a love lost but never regained and of wisdom earned in retrospect from heartbreak. As the bridge neared, the performers gathered together at the front of the Hall and called back and forth to one another in a mix of Korean and Chinese harmonies through the climax. An additional performer rose from the Gryffindor table, then, and harmonised his violin to the piano. The song ended with a lone voice and gentle notes, the audience remaining spell-bound in the aftermath; their quietude reflected the moved spirit in Rose’s heart. After a moment, the crowd broke into roaring applause, even some standing ovations. The boys finally broke out in smiles, high-fived one another, and gathered together to take a final bow.

Rose clapped along, impressed, overwhelmed, and intimidated all at once. It had been an incredible performance, definitely iconic enough for the unofficial record books. She only hoped she and Finn would measure up during their own performance, but there looked to be a meager chance of that happening, considering there was no good time for them to meet the following week. Rose sighed and pushed that worry for another day.

~~~~

The Saturday of the Slytherin vs Hufflepuff Quidditch match began with blustery wind gusts, reminding them all of the turn of the season from autumn to winter. Rose slept in a little before heading down to the Great Hall to find a swarm of students decked out in all manner of winter gear: coats, scarfs, hats, gloves, and boots. The drone of conversations was louder than usual as students loitered around. She had hoped to avoid the crowd, but she’d forgotten that wintertime Quidditch games began at a later start time in order to take advantage of the warmer weather of midday.

Rose did not plan to attend. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Quidditch. She enjoyed flying as much as anyone and occasionally played in her family’s summertime scrimmage matches. It was just that, as a Ravenclaw, she simply had no stake in the game (it was still too early in the year to worry about the Quidditch Cup) and would rather stay warm inside the castle, catching up on her work and resting, than spend the entire day turning into an icicle high up in the stands.

She squeezed her way through to the Ravenclaw table to find that her usual spot had been overtaken by boys: her brother Hugo, who had stolen her seat; and Albus Potter, her cousin, who had brought along his best friend, Scorpius Malfoy. This was not an uncommon occurrence on match days. Ravenclaw’s table was in between Slytherin’s and Hufflepuff’s in the Great Hall, so the boys often converged here to get away from the rowdiness at their own house tables. None of them noticed her approach. Albus was muttering nonstop to Scorpius, who seemed to be concentrating more intently on his breakfast than on his friend’s chatter. Hugo’s attention, too, was entirely absorbed by his food.

“Hugo!” Rose scolded as she budged her brother over.

He groused dramatically, “Rosie! You’ve got the rest of the table!” Rose did not point out that the spot he’d filched was situated at _her_ house table, where she sat for _every_ meal. After turning thirteen, her brother had definitely hit his “teenage years” and begun to discover the “higher” creative expression of melodrama. It was a shame because Hugo was the most pleasant of all the Weasley children in their generation.

“Morning, boys,” she greeted the two Slytherins next. Scorpius nodded absentmindedly, but Albus ignored her altogether. Rose rolled her eyes and considered her breakfast options. The conversation did not improve.

All the boys of Rose’s acquaintance were, unfortunately, obsessed with Quidditch. She and her mother despaired of it. It was impossible to get them to listen to anything she said, let alone receive coherent responses, before a match. Scorpius was an excellent flyer and played Seeker for Slytherin, four years running now. Albus knew absolutely everything about the game: its history, its teams, its major players and their statistics. He’d tried out for the Slytherin team the past two years, but although he was a decent flyer, he couldn’t play very well at all, no matter the position. It had been a major sore point for Albus and had caused some tension in his friendship with Scorpius for the past year-and-a-half, but the boys had worked things out this year and were closer than ever. They left not long after Rose sat down, Albus deigning to give her a perfunctory wave above his head to her called out “ _Good luck!_ ”.

Hugo, too, loved Quidditch and never failed to tag along with her father and Uncle Harry. He had aspirations to play for Hufflepuff and changed his mind every year about what position he’d like best (he claimed he was multi-talented). He’d finally felt good enough to try out this year, but the house had chosen to keep all its players, and there had been no open positions. Rose tightened his scarf and tugged his hat lower and more securely on his head. He groaned at her fussing and left for the pitch with a group spearheaded by their other cousins, Fred Weasley and James Potter.

Rose was left alone for most of the day. After finishing breakfast, she headed back up to Ravenclaw Tower to gather her books and notes and then came back downstairs to the cozy quiet of the library. She chose a table at a window supplying a view of the game and set to work finishing her final assignments for the following week. If she cleared her schedule as much as she could, she would be available to practice with Finn at whatever time his schedule allowed next week. The performance was in four days, and they still hadn’t completely synced together the instrumentals and the vocals. Finn came from a musical family, so _he_ wasn’t worried, but Rose had never performed a solo at Hogwarts, and it made her anxious to leave the preparation so late.

The Quidditch match went on past lunchtime—Rose could tell from her vantage point. The sun shone brightly now, and the breeze had eased up. It was great weather for playing. For a moment, Rose rued not attending, afterall. Perhaps she could catch the final segment. She imagined storing her study materials in her dorm and trudging all the way downstairs, across the grounds, and up to the Ravenclaw stands. Then again, she was quite comfortable in the library and had a great seat. She kept working.

When she finally made it back to her dorm around four o’ clock in the afternoon, the match was over. Rose entered the Ravenclaw common room to find it bubbling with conversation, filled to its usual capacity once again. The Ravenclaw Quidditch team debriefed the match while huddled around one of the window seats. As Rose crossed the room, she overheard snippets: _So, does this mean we’re in second place or third? We beat the Puffs, but...; I couldn’t see properly, but Mina Snowdon from Hufflepuff said it looked pretty bad_ ; _Been taken to the hospital wing, I heard, no tellin’ when he’ll get out_. Rose blinked, slightly concerned. Had there been an injury? Which team had won?

It wasn’t until she got up to the fifth-year girls’ dormitory, where Elise Turpin was lounging on her bed, that she heard the news. Slytherin had won, but that was after Hufflepuff’s reserve Keeper had to step in. _What? Reserve Keeper?_ Elise confirmed that the Puffs’ first Keeper had knocked his head into the side of the goal ring while simultaneously trying to stop the Quaffle and dodge a Bludger that had come too close. _Finn!_

Rose threw her things on the bed and rushed out of the Tower down to the Hospital Wing. The Hufflepuff Captain and some other Puffs stood in a circle in front of the doors. There were a few more people in the Hospital Wing itself, along with Professor Sprout, Headmistress McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey, who was wrapping a bandage around a student’s head. As Rose walked closer, she recognized Finn’s spiky ash-brown hair. He was unconscious.

“What happened?” she asked the room at large, horrified. The professors turned to her, as did a couple of Finn’s friends. Madam Pomfrey remained focused on her task. Headmistress McGonagall answered her. “He’s been injured, Ms. Weasley. A knock to head when he flew into the goal ring trying to dodge a Bludger. He’ll be alright.” She looked at Finn in concern and sympathy.

Distressed, Rose explained haltingly, “But—he’s my—we’re supposed to perform together for the Winter Showcase in a few days.”

Madam Pomfrey cut in. “He’ll have to stay here for a few days for observation. I’d rather he recover here in peace and quiet, with minimal activity.”

Poor Finn, but what about the Showcase? Rose said goodbye to her professors and slumped out of the Hospital Wing. She stood for a moment in the hall outside, staring this way and that as she tried to figure out what to do next. What if Finn wasn’t well enough by Wednesday evening? Or rather, earlier than that, as they hadn’t yet finished the song before the match. She’d have no partner! Who would sing with her? What if she couldn’t find someone else on time? Would she have to drop out? Could she do it by herself, instead? She remembered the reasons why she’d chosen Finn to partner with her in the first place and then she recalled the others on her list of potential partners, their pros and cons. The list was still on her bedside table in her dorm. She’d start looking for alternatives there; she had most of a weekend left over. There must be someone who could help.

~~~~

By the end of dinnertime on Sunday, Rose had found no one. She had begun with her dorm mates. They were a creative, inventive bunch, and many of them played instruments. She’d discovered, however, that those who played the piano, couldn’t also sing, or if they could, they had no desire to perform in front of the whole school. She’d spent a good portion of Sunday tracking down other students from the Frog Choir, either in the Gryffindor dormitories—where she’d gone to similarly ask her cousins for help—or during mealtimes. Many of them had already performed in the last two weeks or had upcoming performances and did not want to take on another responsibility. Her list of options had dwindled rapidly.

She was at her wits’ end by Sunday evening and was forced to consider consulting with Professor Babbling about her options. Her hopes dashed, she ate sparingly during dinner. Her gaze roved over the Slytherin table looking for Albus, but he wasn’t there. Scorpius Malfoy, however, was. Rose approached him on her way out of the Hall.

“Excuse me, Scorpius, have you seen Albus? I really need to talk to him.”

Scorpius glanced at Rose in surprise, startled from his conversation. “Rose, hi. Albus left early for his Astronomy assignment.” He took in her wringing hands and no doubt worried expression. “What’s the matter?”

Rose sighed noisily and rubbed her forehead. “I’m signed up to perform this week for the Showcase, but my partner was injured in the Quidditch match yesterday.” Scorpius’ face took on a look of recognition. “I’m hoping Albus can fill in. Or at least knows someone who can help. Can you talk to him for me? Tonight, if you can?”

Scorpius nodded, then considered her for a moment. “Alright. What are you performing?” he asked.

“It’s a duet, with piano accompaniment,” Rose explained. “The song is called _Sing My Song For You_. It was part of a Muggle children’s show in the late 2000s.”

Scorpius blinked curiously. “Do you have the music with you? Or any recording?”

“Yes. Yes, absolutely!” Rose fumbled the sheet music from her bag (she’d had an extra copy, just in case Finn had forgotten to bring his to practice) and handed it over to Scorpius. He flipped through all of the pages. “Do you—Does that mean—can _you_ do it, then?” Rose asked bemusedly.

“No,” he cut her off. “No, I—no. But, I can—I’ll ask around in the Slytherin common room. Most of us _do_ come from old pureblood families and so have probably been trained in piano or some other instrument. Anything I should mention particularly?”

This was more than Rose had expected, in light of Albus’ absence. She was almost afraid to hope for a positive outcome. But, it was already late on Sunday evening, she was feeling a little desperate, and Scorpius had access, and possibly sway, to an entire student population she hadn’t enquired over the weekend. “Um..well, it has to be a boy, and he has to sing _and_ play, and read music, obviously.” She gestured to the arrangement Scorpius held in his hands. “We’re scheduled to perform in three days, so there isn’t much time to practice.”

Scorpius stared at the arrangement again, flicking his thumb down the collated edges of the pages. His lips tightened. He straightened and then nodded, “Okay, I’ll try to find someone tonight. I can’t promise I will, though,” he cautioned.

“Oh, that’s alright, I’m all out of options at the moment,” she laughed ruefully. “Thank you. Here is a recording—track 2 is the version in the arrangement.” Rose handed over a tape that could be played on the newer versions of the wireless radios found in the wizarding world. There was at least one wireless playing in every common room at all hours of the day _and night_. (It was unthinkable the world over to ask teenagers to be without their music for a _day_ , let alone ten months of the year at boarding school.) Scorpius stored them both safely in his satchel.

She waved goodbye with another thanks and left the Hall. She wanted to do nothing more this evening than to change into her soft pyjamas and curl up in her fluffy bedding in Ravenclaw Tower. It had been quite a stressful weekend, and she had to visit Professor Babbling’s office first thing in the morning. Whether or not Scorpius, or even Rose herself, found an alternative partner, she would have to let the Showcase coordinator know about Finn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The performance Rose sees in the Great Hall is based off of:
> 
> "Miracles in December" by EXO, a Korean pop group. The arrangement used here is a mash-up of both the [Chinese](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZjoebuUM_w) and [Korean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVLxRXoLaas) versions. They are both beautiful, soothing, and a little achy. Highly recommend! I personally imagined the first verse in Korean, the second in Chinese, and a true mash-up of both languages from the bridge through to the end of the song.


	2. Chapter 2

Rose was ready, dressed in her uniform, hair pulled back into a ponytail, bag fully packed, outside of Professor Babbling’s office by seven on Monday morning. Although she sometimes enjoyed getting up early to study, relishing the quiet of the morning, this was a little too early for her, especially considering the chill of winters in Scotland. It had been very difficult to leave the warm comfort of her bed and face the week ahead.

She was nervous about what Professor Babbling would have to say to her predicament. Although Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw House, was director for the Frog Choir, Professor Babbling coordinated the two Showcases. Her Ancient Runes professor could be contradictory. She was passionate about her field and her calling for teaching and took both quite seriously, but she always encouraged her students to see her outside of class, open to discuss whatever topics they preferred, even those unrelated to Ancient Runes. She did not tolerate interruptions and could talk forever about the evolution of rune-use, but she allowed her older students to direct their own studies, independently and for the class, so that no two years ever had the same curriculum. Rose admired her but also found her quite intimidating.

Professor Babbling’s door was open that morning, the professor herself marking papers at her desk. A cup of tea wafted steam at the corner of the table, and a wireless quietly played Christmastime instrumentals. Rose knocked on the door and walked inside at her Professor’s invitation to sit in front of the desk .

Professor Babbling looked up at her, setting her quill aside. “Ms. Weasley, good morning. What can I do for you?”

“Good morning, Professor. I’m here to talk to you about my Showcase performance on Wednesday. Uh, you see, I’m supposed to sing a duet, but my partner was injured at the Quidditch match on Saturday, and Madame Pomfrey insists on keeping him in the Hospital Wing until at least tomorrow. I don’t think we’re at all ready, and I don’t know what to do, I feel like I’ve tried everything...”

“Your partner?” Professor Babbling nudged her specs up as she reached for her files.

She perused for a moment, nodding to herself just as Rose said, “Yes, Finn Kavanagh. He’s also a fifth-year.”

“Yes, I see. That’s unfortunate. What have you tried so far?”

Rose rambled anxiously about her frustrations with finding a replacement for Finn over the weekend. She even mentioned their reduced practice time because of Finn’s obligations to the Hufflepuff team. Professor Babbling sympathized then explained that if Rose couldn’t find a replacement by the end of the day tomorrow, she’d have to forfeit her spot in the program.

Rose nodded glumly and tried not to hold it against her Ancient Runes professor as she moped down to the Great Hall for breakfast. It was still mostly empty, and Rose took the inactivity to rest her head on her arms, dejected. Her dreams were about to come to nothing. How had it come to this? In a more logical part of her mind, she knew that it wasn’t the end of the world. It was only a single performance; neither the song nor her singing of it would impact anyone but herself. She could even perform it next year. She’d already been a part of the Showcase by performing with the Frog Choir last Friday. Without the pressure of the Showcase, she could enjoy this final week of school before going home for the holidays. She’d already completed most of her assignments for this week on Saturday.

But she’d been looking forward to the Showcase. This year, she’d wanted to take on the challenge of an individual performance in front of a large audience. It had been years since she’d even tried, her self-consciousness holding her back even as she longed for the recognition, imagined the sense of accomplishment. She’d planned for and hung her hopes on the Showcase even before the start of term. She’d talked it up excitedly with her parents, her friends, even her cousins. And now all that talk would be for nothing...

Rose heard tiny clicking noises a short distance from her, then felt a slight tugging on her hair. She raised her head to find a tiny owl flapping excitedly at her. Pigsy (Pigwidgeon the Second) was as excitable and clumsy as the First had been, but her father loved him just as much, no matter how much he grumbled about the disastrous landings. In his beak was a letter that Rose accepted. By this time, breakfast had appeared. Rose set aside a plate with a couple of bacon strips for Pigsy and spread marmalade on toast for herself before opening the letter.

It was a combined effort by both of her parents, as usual. Her mother’s affectionate nagging and her father’s warm enthusiasm reminded her not to forget anything in the castle that she’d need over the holidays and told her that they’d both meet her and her brother at King’s Cross in a week. They each added a post-script wishing her well for her upcoming performance, letting her know they’d ordered the recording to listen to over Christmas at the Burrow. Rose grimaced, appalled, and put her head in her hands. On the one hand, forfeiting her program slot meant she could happily avoid the embarrassment of her entire extended family replaying her performance, _with_ added commentary. On the other hand, she wasn’t sure she could handle their disappointment on top of her own should she not be able to sing for the Showcase.

Rose lost whatever appetite she’d had and left for the soothing dimness of the Potions classroom as the Great Hall began to fill. Forty-five minutes later, the classroom was nearly full with Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Rose noticed Finn wasn’t there. A fellow Ravenclaw student tapped her shoulder and handed her a note before heading towards his seat at the back of the classroom. The note itself was folded in half. The penmanship—one she didn’t recognize—was a mixture of slanted half-cursive.

_Rose—_  
_Couldn’t find you at breakfast. Think I know someone who can help you with your Showcase piece._  
_If available today, go to the music wing after classes end. If not, will talk at dinner._  
_—Scorpius Malfoy_

Rose reread the note before stashing it in her bag. She couldn’t believe Scorpius had found someone! She was well aware it had been a tall order. Her heart lifted even as she tried to control the relief in order not to get carried away. There was still a full day of classes to be had and no guarantee that this person would be a good match, but at this point, she was willing to try almost anything. Rose turned to face the front, preparing a new parchment for note-taking as her potions professor ambled into the room.

~~~~

The music wing was a section of the castle located on the fourth floor, away from the library. The related hallways formed a letter “D”, with small individual practice rooms lining the main hall and the major group rehearsal rooms situated along a curve. This is where Rose came thrice a week for choir rehearsal. The other rooms were used for more informal performance rehearsals, like practicing for the Yule Ball, or simply jamming out with friends. A handful of students in every year brought instruments from home to play for fun. Hogwarts didn’t have an official orchestra or band, but many students formed string quartets or unofficial year bands to perform for the Showcases. 

Rose tread the familiar path through the castle to the music wing after her final class let out. She felt partly excited, partly apprehensive; she didn’t know what or whom to expect. The corridor was deserted when she arrived, although she heard faint strains of music from one of the larger rooms, probably other students whose performances were scheduled for this week, maybe even tonight. She proceeded down the hallway of practice rooms, peering through the glass door of each one, before one of them opened suddenly on the other end of the hall. Rose startled when her name was called.

“Rose! In here!” 

She turned to find Scorpius leaning out of the room. He’d taken off his robes but kept his uniform jumper on. His hair was sticking out from the side of his head as if he’d rubbed his hand through it in agitation. Rose headed over, passing through as Scorpius held the door open for her. Inside, the practice room was empty but for Scorpius’ satchel and robes slumped on the ground beside the piano. 

“Oh,” Rose blurted. “Is he not coming today, after all? Who is it, by the way? Your note didn’t say…”

Scorpius closed the door behind himself and leaned back against the glass, his hand still clutching the handle. He stared at the ground as Rose stared at him in confusion. 

“Scorpius..?” she prompted.

Scorpius took a deep breath before straightening his posture. He looked up at Rose and stated determinedly, “I’ll be your partner, Rose.”

Rose was quite taken aback. Scorpius Malfoy, partner with _her_? She was dumbfounded for a moment, until it came to her. “Oh, oh Scorpius, no, you—you don’t have to do that. It’s alright if you didn’t find someone; you don’t have to fill in for Finn. I’ve already spoken to Professor Babbling about it. She knows I might have to drop out last minute—”

“No, I can do it.” Scorpius crossed the room as Rose tried to relieve him of any perceived obligation towards her. He rummaged through his satchel and pulled out the sheet music she’d given him yesterday. He sat down at the piano and let out a breath before arranging the music on the shelf. 

Rose continued to stare at him. “But-but you don’t sing,” she said.

Scorpius’ gaze remained fixed on the musical notes. His fingers rested lightly on the piano keys but did not press down. Rose could tell by the placement of his hands that he’d been trained to play. “I can,” Scorpius reiterated. “I…learned. When I was younger.”

What an entirely unexpected development. Here was exactly the chance Rose had been waiting for, and she felt completely out of her depth. She continued to stand there, watching Scorpius jab lightly at the keys, leaning forward to examine the accompaniment part more closely. 

“Shall we start from the beginning?” Scorpius asked.

“Um, sure.” Rose cleared her throat. 

The rehearsal did not go smoothly. Scorpius fumbled his playing frequently— _because it’s his first time seeing the music_ , Rose reminded herself—so they stopped and started often. The halting nature frustrated Rose, who did her best to sing along. She couldn’t tell if her singing made it easier for Scorpius to find his own way through the music or only served to distract him further. She felt awkward and self-conscious, so she sometimes switched to humming along instead. Scorpius’ face became grimmer, and Rose herself became more stressed the longer they attempted to work together. 

After a little over twenty minutes of this, Rose interrupted Scorpius, suggesting they spend the next twenty minutes practicing separately. On the pretense of needing a stronger warm-up, she grabbed her things and left, stepping into the adjacent practice room. She took some time to breathe and warmed up her voice as she would in choir rehearsal. Their poor practice so far made her wonder again if it would be better to quit the show herself. It wasn’t working, and she really couldn’t see how they were going to make this work in only forty-eight hours. 

They reconvened a half hour later. Scorpius looked a little harried, but he didn’t rebuff her. They took the song in halves. Scorpius’ playing was still a little wooden, but he didn’t make any mistakes. Rose sang louder this time, shifting her focus to match the vibe of the piano, and felt like she’d perfected her part. Scorpius did not sing at all but did hum from time to time. Rose brought up the discrepancy on their second run, but Scorpius became more detached, saying shortly that he preferred to master the playing first before adding more. He wasn’t rude, per se, but his expression wasn’t inviting. 

They ended the practice a little after the hour, neither one entirely happy. Rose felt weary and hungry and left for dinner as soon as they agreed to a meeting time for the following day.

~~~~

Rose’s proudest accomplishment to date at Hogwarts was the interhouse study hall she’d founded at the end of her fourth year. Ravenclaws were not only intelligent and creative, but they also enjoyed sharing information and working together to add to a collective body of knowledge. The Ravenclaw common room was always filled with students hard at work (Ravenclaws would _never_ procrastinate on their schoolwork), and there was always someone older or more adept at a particular subject who was willing to help out a struggling, exasperated classmate. But Rose had spurred on this tutoring venture during her third year by overtly welcoming students from all houses and matching them up with the right tutors. It had begun with small clusters of friends who wandered into Ravenclaw Tower the day before tests or assignments were due and had grown into the most popular gathering place on school nights.

It wasn’t until Professor Flitwick’s enthusiastic support as faculty mentor and Rose’s newly minted position as prefect this year that she’d had the power needed to turn her passion project into a more formal enterprise. Schoolwide Organized Study (SOS) was a bigger and more official expansion of the sort of collaborative learning environment ordinarily found in the Ravenclaw common room after dinner. The study group met in a group of four interconnected rooms on the same floor as the library. The rooms were outfitted with sofas, armchairs, and tables as well as bookshelves of the required textbooks for every course offered at Hogwarts. Official SOS sessions were held Mondays-Thursdays after dinner, but the rooms themselves were always open outside of those hours for general study purposes. Ostensibly billed as study spaces, the rooms also functioned as lounge areas that encouraged the sorts of academic discussions Madam Pince ruthlessly stamped out in the library. There was no obligation or membership required, so students straggled in at their scholarly necessity. Prefects took turns moderating and sometimes also served as subject experts to ensure that students were productive and not merely faffing about in the shared space. Rose spent most of her nights here, doing her own homework, tutoring, and managing the rota of tutors available for meetings.

That evening, Scorpius didn’t attend the study group. This wasn’t unusual. While he was an excellent tutor, patient and a good listener, he often preferred to study on his own or with Albus. As a prefect, he was required to attend only a couple of times during the week and had been absent the previous week due to Quidditch practice. But Rose had gotten used to his presence over the past several months since the start of the SOS. For Scorpius not to be here tonight, after their rehearsal… Rose imagined he wanted nothing more to do with her. She could hardly concentrate on her own homework, let alone help someone else, and instead spent the time thinking over their practice session.

Her anxiety over possibly having to drop out of the Showcase had made her impatient and a little frustrated, she could admit. It really was good of Scorpius to step in at the last minute to help her, especially considering her own brother and cousins had refused. If _she_ had been given such short notice, she would have refused, too. She wasn’t just asking Scorpius to help her understand astronomy. She was asking him to perform in front of the whole school, to play piano _and sing_ in two days’ time. A performance that would be recorded and photographed and commemorated in the yearbook! It was a lot to ask of anyone. She felt even worse.

Rose took out her music and stared wistfully at the lyrics and her additional notations. It wasn’t a long song, less than four minutes. Scorpius had learned the entire accompaniment in their hour-long practice that afternoon, but he hadn’t sung at all, preferring to hum his notes. They needed more time. She worried one more rehearsal tomorrow, and maybe on Wednesday, wouldn’t be enough to make a great performance.

She grabbed her music player, the newest product from MagifyMe, a wizarding company that specialized in adapting Muggle technology for magical spaces. The oval device, packed with several insulation and protection charms, was more advanced than the tape she’d given to Scorpius. It had been a gift last Christmas from Uncle George and Aunt Angie, Fred’s parents, and allowed her to listen to both her Muggle and magical music discs. She put on the attached little ear plugs and played the duet.

Ordinarily, she’d repeat the song several times over, humming or singing along, perfecting every note, but this time, she let it play on, really focusing on the lyrics. Rose imagined herself in a flowy red dress, standing across from Scorpius seated at the piano in the Great Hall. She imagined them singing to one another as they gazed into each other’s eyes. This vision in her mind’s eye splintered a little as she came across the bridge. She paused and replayed it.

 _Goodness!_ How had she never realized how _romantic_ this song was? Well, she had known it intellectually, in the same way she knew it was a duet, but it clearly featured a couple _in a relationship_. She couldn’t make Scorpius sing to her about how much he’d longed to show her what she meant to him!! It would be too embarrassing, for both of them. She cringed anew at what he must have thought hearing the song for the first time. No wonder he hadn’t wanted to sing in practice today!

 _Oh, why did she ever choose this song!_ She regretted making such a big deal out of performing for the Showcase. Of asking everyone she knew to help her. Of drawing attention to herself in such an obvious way. She could still drop out, no harm done. She could tell Professor Babbling first thing tomorrow that she hadn’t been able to find a replacement for Finn and simply enjoy the rest of the week until it was time to go home. Yes, she could.

But no. She’d told everyone she knew that she’d signed up. She’d aired her worries about performing. Lily was expecting to record her for the yearbook. Her parents and family were looking forward to hearing that recording over the holidays. She’d asked Scorpius to find someone willing to help her, and he’d gallantly offered himself up for the task. She couldn’t quit now. It would be a waste of all the time she _and others_ had spent.

Come Merlin or madness, she was seeing this through to the end. But that didn’t mean that she couldn’t be inventive. A Ravenclaw’s most prized asset is her mind, and Rose Granger-Weasley was a very smart girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used:  
> ["Sing My Song (For You)"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRcVZZ9VlSM) \-- originally sung by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas in the show "Sonny With a Chance"; remixed and sung by Brigitte Mendler and Shane Harper in the show "Good Luck Charlie".  
> The arrangement that Rose & Scorpius sing here is a mix of these two versions, with the bridge removed, just as Rose & Scorpius discuss. I just really wanted to keep in the tenor line and Scorpius singing, _"You are looking so lovely"_. ;)


	3. Chapter 3

Rose entered the Great Hall on Tuesday morning to find Albus once again sitting across from her usual seat. He was slumped at the table with a hoodie, jeans and trainers, not yet ready for school. It was still a little early, so there were only scattered pockets of students talking quietly at the other tables. Rose was surprised and a little suspicious to see him. Albus usually rolled out of bed about fifteen minutes before classes started, relying on Scorpius to grab him something to eat on the way to class. That he was _here_ , early, and apparently, to speak with _her_ , was not encouraging.

“Morning, Albus,” she greeted pleasantly as she took her customary seat in the middle of the table.

“Morning, Ro.” Albus yawned as he poured himself more piping hot strong tea.

“What brings you here?” Rose reached for the porridge.

“What are you doing with Scorpius?” Albus asked abruptly.

Rose was taken aback. “What- what do you mean? He’s helping me for the Showcase. It _is_ _tomorrow_.”

“Were you rude to him?” Albus cut in. Rose’s jaw dropped as she stared at him. “He seemed upset, almost angry, at dinner yesterday and didn’t go to bed till very late. That’s not like him. Are you sure you didn’t force him into it? The Showcase’s been all you could talk about for weeks...” Albus shook his head and dug into the remaining half of his fry-up.

Breathless, Rose didn’t know where to begin with these accusations. She had a very good reason to find a new partner! Her struggle to find a replacement for Finn over the weekend had been quite stressful. And, _force_ Scorpius? He had asked his housemates first and then offered himself! Besides, the only reason she’d approached Scorpius at all was to see if _Albus_ would fill in. The only time she’d even seen Albus the past two weeks had been the day of the Quidditch match. Where did he get off, ambushing her at breakfast to question her intentions?

Rose was hurt and cross, and she let Albus have it. “Excuse me, I’ve just lost my partner, a few days before the show, after over a _week_ of not rehearsing! I tried to find someone else this weekend, but no one would agree, not even our cousins. The only reason I even talked to Scorpius about it was because I was looking for _you_! The only time I’ve seen you recently was Saturday morning and you barely said hello—where _have_ you been for the past two weeks, by the way—so, yes, I _have_ talked about the Showcase a lot.” She exhaled forcefully after her rant before leaning back in. “And for the record, _Scorpius_ offered! It took me totally by surprise, too.”

Albus stared back at her, frozen, his fork halfway to his mouth, but otherwise took her rebuttal coolly. He ate without comment for a while after she was done, before explaining, “Alright, Ro, I’m sorry. Just—go easy on Scorpius, would you. I know he can do it, but you tend to get obsessed with things and forget that not everyone _cares_ so much about the Showcase as you do.”

Rose pursed her lips and nodded. “So, where have you been, Albus? I’ve hardly seen you.”

“Oh, you know…Quidditch,” he stated casually.

Rose gave him an unimpressed look. “You don’t play Quidditch, Albus.”

“No… but I do commentate! And Scorp and I have strategy sessions. He’s essentially captain this year—Baddock’s been training him for it—and will be for sure, next year.”

Rose raised an eyebrow. “You were spying on Hufflepuff’s practices, weren’t you? With Uncle Harry’s cloak.”

Albus neither confirmed nor denied. Instead, he stood from the table and scooped up his warming flask of tea. “The Cloak is a Potter family heirloom. It’s as much mine as it is Dad’s.” He leaned over and tweaked her hair, “Besides, Rosie, aren’t you always telling me to pay more attention, or else I’ll never learn anything?” He took a sip of his tea, winked and departed.

Rose shook her head at her shifty cousin and began reviewing last week’s notes for Charms.

~~~~

That evening, Rose headed to the practice room immediately after classes ended for the day. She felt mentally drained after a full day of O.W.L. classes, but she was determined to put her best foot forward for this last push before the big day. She set down her bag, stretched and loosened her limbs, then began her warm up. She definitely couldn’t play the piano, but she could at least pick her way through some scales on her own.

Scorpius entered just as she was in the middle of a fun run of a totally unrelated pop ballad. She stopped abruptly and cringed at herself for being so awkward. She should have played it off casually—Scorpius had already heard her sing yesterday. This was exactly the sort of situation she was meant to be overcoming!

“Hello, Scorpius,” she greeted, then bent to pick out from her bag the new arrangement she’d worked on last night.

“How d’you do, Rose?” He had purple smudges under his eyes. His clothes were slightly wrinkled from a long day of shuffling between throngs of students, but otherwise he appeared as self-possessed as ever. He gathered his own music and sat at the piano bench.

“Well, thank you. I’ve, um, made some changes since yesterday. To the music.” As Rose seated herself next to Scorpius, she handed him his copy of the new arrangement of _Sing My Song_. “I rearranged the verses and choruses to combine the two versions of the song.” She bit her lip and hesitantly said, “Yesterday…it seemed like you were more comfortable playing than singing, so…I took out most of the bridge. Is that alright? I thought we could add more instrumentals instead, to give you a chance to—“

“Rose.”

“Yes?”

He held up one finger without looking at her. “Wait.”

She shut up as Scorpius perused the new copy. He said nothing, but after some minutes, spread the pages out individually on the music shelf, discarding his old copy on the ground beside him. He then held out his hand to her. When Rose stared uncomprehendingly, he said, “Let me listen to both versions first. I’ll have a better idea afterward.”

A little relieved, she pulled out her music player and shared one earbud with him, starting up the original version. Scorpius moved closer and took the player from her, his fingers brushing over hers. Her heart startled in her chest, but when she looked up at him, he was only adjusting the volume. She was suddenly aware of how close they were, listening to and _rehearsing_ a romantic song while secluded in this small, quiet room deep within the castle. There were only a few inches separating their legs. She could _smell_ him, too: fresh linen and crisp air, with a whiff of sweat underneath.

She cleared her throat and sat up straighter. Chiding herself silently, she reached for the water bottle she’d set on top of the piano and took a few sips to distract herself.

They listened for a long while, replaying sections multiple times. Rose got a little bored, finally handing over the other earbud in favour of reviewing her list of tasks for the rest of the week. Scorpius made notations on his music with a pencil (stolen from Albus, most likely); Rose noted that he was as meticulous as she was. She only interrupted him once, to ask, “Do you see what I mean about the bridge?” He just _hmm-_ ed.

After some time, he began his own warm-up, stretching his arms, cracking his knuckles, wiggling his fingers, and swivelling his neck through a few cracks. It would have been more alarming if Rose hadn’t seen Hugo and Albus do that several times a day. It was one of those _boy_ quirks she’d seemingly spent her whole life cataloguing.

Though, it was strange to think of _Scorpius_ as a _boy_ , to lump him in the same category as her brother, many of her cousins, and her _father_. Scorpius was so different from any other boy she’d ever met. He was quiet and reserved much of the time. (The Weasleys were never quiet, sometimes to Rose and her mother’s dismay.) Scorpius was poised and measured and thoughtful. He held himself at a remove from other people and exuded an aplomb she often envied. At first, she’d thought he might be a little shy and unsure, like Rose herself was, but his placidity had nothing to do with self-consciousness. It wasn’t until last year, observing Scorpius during study sessions in the Ravenclaw common room, that she’d realized that Scorpius didn’t bother with most other people. Rose surmised that, as a Malfoy, he’d been subject his whole life to the wildly disparate perceptions of others, and therefore, no longer cared for their opinions and impressions of him. He was a little like Albus in that regard. With each passing term and each interaction with Scorpius, Rose was coming to understand more and more why the two boys were best friends.

Scorpius finally nodded and declared, “Alright, I‘m ready now. Whatever else, we’ll play it by ear.”

Rose nodded, too, then blinked and did a double take.

Scorpius was smiling slightly at the sheet music. He gave her a side glance, his smile widening into a grin, as he said, “Shall we?”

They began.

It was a much more productive practice than that of the day before. They rehearsed out of order, finalizing the introduction and the verses first, most of which Rose sang by herself. Once they began the choruses, Rose lowered her volume in order to hear Scorpius better, but even sitting as close as she was to him, it was hard to hear his voice over the resonance of the piano. He started haltingly and sang quietly, intermittently humming. She considered asking him to practice once through acapella but worried he’d refuse altogether. At the bridge, she discovered that he’d translated the original melody into a complete arc with a climax. It was impressive for something done impromptu, and she found herself humming along. She considered creating original lyrics to go with it but ultimately decided to let Scorpius have his moment.

They sang the song the whole way through twice before stopping for the evening. The rehearsal had run almost entirely through dinner, but Rose felt much more prepared for the upcoming performance. Working with Scorpius had been more pleasant and much less awkward than she’d expected after the tenseness of yesterday. As they gathered their materials to leave, she told him so.

“Scorpius, thank you. I know I lost it a bit about the Showcase,” she rolled her eyes at herself, “but I really appreciate your help. You didn’t have to, but I’m really glad you are. I think this’ll go well.”

He gave her that sideways smile again as he closed the practice room door. “This is important to me, too, Rose,” he said quietly before walking away from her back to Slytherin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used:  
> ["Sing My Song (For You)"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRcVZZ9VlSM) \-- originally sung by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas in the show "Sonny With a Chance"; remixed and sung by Brigitte Mendler and Shane Harper in the show "Good Luck Charlie".  
> The arrangement that Rose & Scorpius sing here is a mix of these two versions, with the bridge removed, just as Rose & Scorpius discuss. I just really wanted to keep in the tenor line and Scorpius singing, _"You are looking so lovely"_. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

The day of Rose’s performance dawned cold and shadowed, as most other wintery days this far north in Scotland. Rose had had a hard time falling asleep the night before, too strung out with thoughts of today and the final assignments still to be completed before the holiday break. She did her best to put tonight’s performance out of her mind for most of the day in order to stave off her anxiety.

After classes ended, she stayed in the greenhouse on the pretence of working on homework but, really, because her nervousness had begun to pick up. Professor Longbottom had been kind enough to leave her be without making conversation. The whole walk back up to the castle, she filled her lungs with chilly air, pepping herself up with affirmations inside her head. It was almost silly the amount of dread she felt. She’d performed with the Frog Choir many times in the last three years—including just last week!—and had memorized over fifteen songs’ worth of lyrics, harmonies, and dynamics. Yet, she was driving herself mental with this one song, when most of the students would hardly pay attention or care!

Rose arrived a little earlier than was necessary to meet Scorpius in the Great Hall. She’d freshened up and changed into a green dress and short boots to pair with her tights. She’d pinned up half of her brown waves with a holly-and-mistletoe hair clip given to her by Grandma Helen. She’d even added white dangling earrings that bounced whenever she turned her head. She checked the staging area and warmed up her voice a little.

Scorpius walked in just as she began the second verse. He was dressed in all black, with a metallic silver tie. The cuffs of his shirt sleeves, featuring an intricate embroidery in the same hue as his tie, were held together by pearl cufflinks. His pale skin and snow-white hair contrasted with his dark outfit. He looked dashing. Rose couldn’t help sweeping her gaze over him multiple times. She blushed at the realization and remembered the sorts of whispers and giggling she’d overheard in SOS meetings from gossipy third- and fourth-year girls from more than one house.

Scorpius greeted her and sat down at the piano. “Are you ready, Rose?”

Rose laughed shakily and smoothed out her dress as she leaned against the piano. “I’ve got butterflies! I know I’ve performed before, and I obviously sing all the time, but…this is just…this room is massive! And, to think, in less than an hour, it’ll be filled completely…!”

Scorpius exhaled a laugh, too, and said, “Yeah, I think playing Quidditch is easier than this. At least if I miss the snitch, no one has pudding on hand to throw at me.”

Rose congratulated him on winning Saturday’s match, then breathed sharply and exclaimed, “Pudding!?”

“I’m joking, don’t worry, Rose. It’ll be over before you know it.” Scorpius began some scales as Rose had another minor meltdown.

“Oh, Rowena, spell me…” she moaned. “Why did I think this was a good idea..?”

Scorpius paused and placed his hand on her arm. He looked right at her as he reassured, “Rose, listen. No one ever pays as much attention to you as you think they do—most people care only about their own problems. But. If you’re really that worried, pretend you’re performing for someone you love, who’s in the audience, watching you and supporting you. They’re going to think you’re fantastic, no matter what happens, so, really, you have nothing to worry about.”

He turned back to set out his sheets on the music shelf. Rose breathed deeply and exhaled as she observed him and considered his words.

“Is that what you do?”

“Sometimes.”

She waited to see if he’d say anything more, but when he didn’t, they started their final rehearsal. It was a thrill to be practicing in the Great Hall. The acoustics were so much better than in the tiny practice room or even the fourth floor music halls. Twelve giant evergreens, placed around the edges of the room by Hagrid and festooned to the brim with Christmas ornaments and tinsel by Professor Flitwick, gave the cavernous hall a cozy, cheery atmosphere. But the hall was still empty, and this gave Rose the courage to sing out, letting her voice echo and fill the space, all the way up to the darkening skies and emerging stars reflected in the ceiling above. She even felt brave enough to ask Scorpius to sing acapella. He agreed.

To Rose’s pleasant surprise, Scorpius really could sing well. Their blend sounded wonderfully harmonious, and Rose delighted in it. She beamed at him in her glee, and Scorpius immediately broke eye contact and looked back down at the lyrics, embarrassed. This made Rose laugh more, interrupting the final chorus. By the time she settled, Scorpius had stopped singing, his ears turning red, and begun to say, “I think that’s enough—”

“No, no, I’m sorry! I’m not laughing _at_ you, I promise. It’s just—Scorpius! You’re really good! I had no idea. Albus never mentioned it. And you’re not part of the choir, obviously...” She studied him. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you? That’s why you don’t mind having to perform. I had wondered…”

Still looking down, Scorpius answered quietly, “Yes.” Once again, Rose waited him out. “It was part of how I was brought up.” He paused for a moment, then continued, even quieter, “Mother and I would play and sing together every year for the holidays. We’d put on shows, too, when I was smaller. It delighted Grandmother and pleased Father, too, although he’d never say and only pretended to be put out about our Christmas cheer...” Scorpius picked at the keys, playing random, sometimes discordant notes. “Christmas was _her_ most favourite time of the year. She made everything feel…new and magical. There hasn’t been any music in the Manor for the past two years,” Scorpius finished softly. _Without her_ , he didn’t need to add.

It sounded terrible to think it, but Rose had forgotten that Scorpius’ mother had passed away two years ago due to a blood-borne illness. Albus and his parents had attended the funeral, but at the time, Rose herself hadn’t known Scorpius. As the sole Ravenclaw in the Weasley family, she didn’t spend much time with her cousins while at school. She and Albus had been very close during their childhood, before arriving at Hogwarts, but the Sorting had separated them into different houses and they didn’t see each other as often. She still considered him her best friend, but she knew that Albus’ true best friend was Scorpius himself. For their first few years at Hogwarts, Rose had always thought of Scorpius as Albus’ friend and had only gotten to know him on her own terms when she started the SOS at the end of fourth year. They still didn’t know one another all that well, although, with every interaction, Scorpius became more compelling in her eyes. Rose was well aware, in that moment, that she was very lucky to be getting a tiny glimpse into Scorpius Malfoy and his family—Scorpius only shared of himself with one other person.

She didn’t know what to say to Scorpius’ revelation. She felt a little sorry for him, to have lost his mother in his childhood. He clearly still missed her dearly. Rose also felt a little bad to think she might have forced Scorpius into playing music again when he might not have been ready. No wonder Scorpius had been reluctant to sing during practice. Music was something precious he’d shared with his mother, something he felt he’d lost with his mother’s passing. She recalled Albus’ admonition from yesterday, about being careful with Scorpius, and understood the protection for what it had been.

“I’m sorry,” she replied just as quietly. “I didn’t know that. If you don’t feel comfortable with performing, we could still drop out… I’d completely understand.”

Scorpius smiled a little sadly and said, “No, Rose. I meant what I said when I told you this was important to me. I haven’t sung at all or played much since Mother… I think it made Father even sadder the past two years to see it. I want to do this, for both of them. And for myself, too.”

Rose smiled back at him and then shared her own confidence. “The reason this has been so important to me is because I have stage fright, and I’m tired of it.” When Scorpius raised his eyebrows in bafflement, Rose explained, “Yes, I know. It didn’t use to be the case. I went to Muggle primary school, did you know? Every year, there were always one or two big performances—plays, skits, presentations, things like that—a way for the children to show off for their parents.”

Rose rubbed the edges of the piano as she spoke. “One year—I think I was seven—I said my lines wrong during the real show. The audience laughed and I was teased about it in school for weeks afterward.” Rose looked over to see Scorpius listening attentively. “And that was it,” she shrugged a shoulder, “I dreaded getting up in front of a crowd. But I love to sing, you see. So, as part of a choir, I never have to be alone on stage. But, it got tiresome after a while, seeing others perform solos and passing over auditions myself, feeling like I could never do it. So, I decided this summer that I would just have to get over it. I remembered the Showcase, and here we are.”

“Ah, there you are!” Rose jumped and turned to see Professor Babbling stride into the Hall. “Ms. Weasley, Mr. Malfoy, are you both ready? You will perform first tonight. Anything you’d like me to say when I introduce you?”

Rose began to shake her head no, when Scorpius interrupted, “Yes, Professor. Could you please mention that I’d like to dedicate this performance to my mother, Astoria Malfoy?”

Professor Babbling was clearly surprised, but she gave Scorpius a kind smile, no doubt recalling Mrs. Malfoy’s passing. “I can certainly do that, Mr. Malfoy. And you, Ms. Weasley?”

Rose hadn’t thought to dedicate the song to anyone, so she told Professor Babbling, “For my family. They know who they are.”

Professor Babbling shook her head, “And no doubt they will make quite the ruckus in your honour tonight. Now, please take your seats at the top of your respective House tables until I call you forward.” She made to leave but then turned around to add, “Ms. Weasley, I must say I’m glad to see you be able to continue the program this year. I would have been disappointed to see you leave.” She gave Scorpius a considering nod and left before Rose could stammer out a _thank-you_.

The two of them looked at each other a moment and laughed together about their professor before heading to the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables, respectively.

Thirty minutes later, the Great Hall was filled with bustling students boisterously greeting their friends and settling down to dinner with raucous conversation. Rose neither spoke to anyone nor touched her food, only took frequent sips of her pumpkin juice. Professor McGonagall called the hall to silence and ceded the floor to Professor Babbling, who announced Rose and Scorpius, mentioning their dedications just as she promised. Rose’s nervousness kicked into high gear: her heart pounded; her hands trembled; gooseflesh broke out over her arms; and butterflies flopped in her stomach. She met Scorpius at the piano and tried to smile but probably only managed a grimace. He muttered lowly to her, “I’ll give you an extra two bars of the intro, Rose. It’ll be alright.”

They took their positions as Professor Babbling charmed them both with _Sonorous_. Rose could hardly look at the audience. She stood to the side of the piano, diagonally facing Scorpius and didn’t know what to do with her hands. She finally gripped the edge of the piano. When Scorpius started playing, Rose felt frozen. Her cue came too soon, and she opened her mouth to begin, but Scorpius leaned forward and shook his head as he repeated the intro and then cued her to start.

She was thankful for those extra seconds because she started too quietly. But she kept her eyes on Scorpius as she sank into the lyrics. He joined her shortly afterward in the hook and met her gaze when he sang his solo line, “ _You are looking so lovely._ ” Rose blushed again, but she found the confidence to sing louder when she sang the first chorus with Scorpius, letting her voice and their blend carry into the hall. The song brought forth a feeling of closeness and home, of sheltering with loved ones before a warm fire while snow and winds chilled the world outside. Rose was reminded of it every time she listened to this song, and she tried to convey that same feeling through her voice.

During Scorpius’ expansion of the bridge, she felt brave enough to look towards the audience, or at least, whomever she could see from her position, which turned out to be the professors’ table. Professor Babbling smiled and nodded at her, Headmistress McGonagall looked on encouragingly, and Hagrid looked like he might tear up. Rose looked away before she started giggling in her distraction.

As the final chorus neared, she circled around and sat down next to Scorpius. He adjusted and turned slightly towards her, and she focused on his fingers tapping elegantly over the keys. They sang the final lines—” _...as we sing our song for you”_ —nearly acapella, Scorpius playing more softly as they held out the final note, their eyes meeting once again.

The roaring applause from the Great Hall interrupted their connection, and Rose startled, turning to look at the clapping crowd. She spotted the coppery heads of her family at the Gryffindor table, Lily whooping and Lucy standing up out of her seat. Rose grinned at them and wiggled her fingers in a discreet wave. Her gaze found Finn, too, at the Hufflepuff table; he gave her a thumbs-up.

Professor Babbling clapped as she came forward to introduce the next act. Rose still felt quite shaky, a zinging sort of feeling buzzing through her limbs, but she managed not to trip down the short steps leading down to the dining tables. She barely registered Scorpius patting her shoulder as he passed her for the Slytherin table. Rose spent the rest of the meal in a daze of replaying the performance in her head and being congratulated by her housemates.

Lily and Lucy bounded over to her as soon as dinner ended and screamed their excitement once again. “Oh, you were wonderful, Rosie! I took lots of pictures for your mum and dad,” Lily exclaimed. Lucy asked if she had anything planned for the Summer Showcase, but Rose couldn’t possibly start thinking about going through the whole nerve-wracking ordeal all over again. Even Hugo came to pay his compliments. He usually avoided his older sister in school in order to not be teased, but he slid over from the Hufflepuff table to give her a hug and a “Good job, sis,” before heading off to bed.

Rose prepared to leave, too, when she felt a presence behind her. She turned to find Albus and Scorpius waiting for her. Albus spoke first, “You sounded good, both of you, and now I hope I never have to hear about the Showcase ever again. Thank Salazar none of the rest of our family is musically talented...” Rose tutted and shoved at Albus, pushing him into Scorpius, who chuckled and steadied his friend as they turned to leave the Great Hall.

“Thanks, Albus, you’re too kind, really,” Rose said sarcastically. She stopped before the grand staircase and looked at Scorpius. “Thank you so much for all your help, Scorpius. I couldn’t have done it without you. If you ever need anything, please do ask. I owe you.”

Scorpius shook his head. “It was nice to play again. I’m glad I did it.” The two of them smiled at one another in the entrance hall before Albus wished her a good night and tugged his friend away.

As the boys walked away, she heard Albus tease Scorpius, “I had no idea you had such a lovely voice, Rio. All this time you could have been singing me to sleep…”

“I had no idea you craved to hear lullabies, Albus Severus. I’ll be sure to make a list over Christmas…” Scorpius shot back slyly.

Albus groaned. “Alright, _alright_! I take it back! Just don’t call me—” Their voices echoed down the dungeon stairs, Scorpius’ laughter mixing with Albus’ whinging.

Rose gazed after them fondly before making her own way up to Ravenclaw Tower, the last of her obligations before the winter holidays complete.

_**Epilogue** _

One week later, Rose sat squished from all sides on her grandparents’ sofa at their home in Ottery St. Catchpole. The extended family, upwards of thirty people, including guests, all gathered at the Burrow for Christmas, a three-day sleepover lasting from Christmas Eve through Boxing Day. (Grandma Molly insisted the family stay together for the holidays.) Opening presents was _An_ _Event_ and lasted much of the day, pausing only for meals or showing off one’s gifts.

In the week since her return from Hogwarts, Rose had spent most of her time finalizing and shopping for gifts for friends and family. Just yesterday, she’d mailed out the last of the packages for those people she wouldn’t see at the Burrow. She’d sent one such package to Scorpius, too, wishing him a happy Christmas and thanking him once again for performing with her. She’d gifted him with new Seeker’s gloves and a pair of weather-proof goggles, charmed for clear vision in rain or snow. She’d received no reply yet, but she imagined Christmastime was still difficult for the Malfoy family, three years after they’d lost Scorpius’ mother and so, didn’t expect one.

It was dark outside already, but the blazing fire and close company kept away the chill. Rose and her cousins were listening to Grandpa Arthur’s tales of Christmases past, with interjections from Uncle George about what their parents’ hadn’t known about various Christmas mishaps. Aunt Ginny patted Rose’s head from behind the sofa and handed her a gold wrapped box, saying, “This just came by owl for you, Rosie.”

 _By owl?_ , she wondered. Rose shuffled around and grabbed the box with two fingers. In the process, she dislodged her fellow sofa companions, who grumbled loudly but didn’t give her any more space to maneuver.

The package was a small square wrapped in shiny gold paper and topped with a navy blue bow. Rose carefully slipped off the bow and peeled off the paper to reveal a red box with a stylized ‘ _R’_ on top. Puzzled, she pulled off all the wrapping paper and opened the box to find a circular device with holes embedded along the edges. Although she’d never owned one before, Rose recognized it as a pitch pipe. Beneath it, there was a note:

_For next year’s Showcase, and all other future performances._  
_:-)_

It was unsigned, but the handwriting was vaguely familiar. Confused, Rose dug through the packaging once more. When her hand shifted, she saw there was another message on the other side:

_Thanks for the Quidditch gear._ _Merry Christmas._

_— Scorpius Malfoy_

Rose smiled and admired her gift a while longer. She desperately wanted to play with it.

Lily called to her from across the room. “Who’s the present from, Rosie?”

Rose grinned back at her and replied, “A friend.”

**Author's Note:**

> Songs used or mentioned:
> 
> ["Sing My Song (For You)"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRcVZZ9VlSM) \-- originally sung by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas in the show "Sonny With a Chance"; remixed and sung by Brigitte Mendler and Shane Harper in the show "Good Luck Charlie".  
> The arrangement that Rose & Scorpius sing here is a mix of these two versions, with the bridge removed, just as Rose & Scorpius discuss. I just really wanted to keep in the tenor line and Scorpius singing, _"You are looking so lovely"_. ;)
> 
> "Miracles in December" by EXO, a Korean pop group. The arrangement used here is a mash-up of both the [Chinese](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZjoebuUM_w) and [Korean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVLxRXoLaas) versions. They are both beautiful, soothing, and a little achy. Highly recommend! I personally imagined the first verse in Korean, the second in Chinese, and a true mash-up of both languages from the bridge through to the end of the song.


End file.
